Is Slave! #138 worth grading?
Star Wars · 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Slave! #138 sells for $155 against $1.92 raw: a $153 spread, 81× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($141) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.92
- Grade 9.5
- $155
- PSA 9
- $141
- Gem premium
- 81×
- As of
- Aug 16, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — Grade 9.5 | $155 | +$128 | +$103 | +$3.08 |
| PSA 9 | $141 | +$114 | +$88.58 | −$11.42 |
| PSA 8 | $46.19 | +$19.27 | −$5.73 | −$106 |
Net = sale price − $1.92 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $144 | +$92.21 |
| 50% | $148 | +$95.83 |
| 75% | $151 | +$99.46 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $155 |
| 9 | $141 |
| 8 | $46.19 |
| 7 | $16.50 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other 1980 Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Slave! #138 — FAQ
Is Slave! #138 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Slave! #138 sells for $155 against $1.92 raw: a $153 spread, 81× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($141) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
Is your Star Wars card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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